Four held over Thailand death of Thorner tourist

Relatives of a Thorner man who fell to his death while on holiday in Thailand have spoken of their distress after four transgender women were arrested over the incident.

Naami Keyghobadi was found on Tuesday, lying in a street in Pattaya, a city on the east coast which is popular with partygoers. It is thought he fell from a top floor apartment.

Pattaya police have arrested four transgender women on suspicion of involvement in his death.

In a statement issued yesterday, the family of 28-year-old Mr Keyghobadi said: “We are obviously very distressed by the news of his death and are concerned that there will be unhelpful speculation about the circumstances in which he died.”

Mr Keyghobadi had travelled to Thailand on holiday on December 4 and was due to return home on December 30.

The Bangkok Post said he had suffered a broken leg, broken ribs and internal injuries when he was found at around 7.30pm on Tuesday after apparently falling from a balcony. He was pronounced dead at Pattaya Memorial Hospital.

Officers told the newspaper they were investigating claims of an argument about money before the incident. One of the women claimed Mr Keyghobadi had climbed out of the window of his own accord, but the accounts of the other women are said to differ. The Post reported that at least two of the women are sex workers.

All four failed drug tests and remained in police custody yesterday.

Colonel Anukul Preedayuth, of Pattaya City police station, said: “There are witnesses who said he fell down on his own, but we are not convinced.

“We are looking for more witnesses and evidence. The matter is under investigation.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are providing support to the family of a British national who died in Thailand on 15 December, and are also in contact with local authorities regarding the death.”

Mr Keyghobadi is listed as a director of a Leyton UK Partners LLP, a solicitors’ firm.

A spokesman said: “Naami was a highly valued colleague. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”

The Keyghobadi family are being supported by West Yorkshire Police.

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